ABORIGINAL TRIBES OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA. 293 



The divisions outlined in the foregoing pages not only 

 pervade all the principal events of a man's life, but they 

 accompany him into the grave and the land beyond. When 

 a member of a clan dies and is buried, the body is laid 

 horizontally, face upward, with the head placed toward the 

 part of the horizon which leads to the miyur or spirit-land 

 of the clan to which the deceased belonged. These miyurs 

 are divided into the same phratries and clans as the people 

 of the tribe, as explained in previous pages. The spirit of 

 a Gurogity man or woman goes to a Gurogity miyur, and a 

 Gamaty spirit travels away to a Gamaty resting place ; 

 this matter being regulated, in both cases, by the geo- 

 graphic position of the spirit-home of his clan. 



Each miyur has its fabled watering place. For example, 

 the shades of Dyalup, Burt-murnya and Burt-wirrimal drink 

 at Mumbul. Bial-bial water supplies Muiwillak, Wuran, 

 Durrimurak and Burriwan. Wartwurt drinks at Bummir. 

 Dyallan and Wanguguliak quench their thirst at Dyiirnera. 

 In some of these places there is clear, spring water ; in 

 others ordinary water-courses ; some have greyish water ; 

 whilst others have sea-spray. I forgot to enquire about 

 the mythic watering places of some of the miyurs. 



The spirits of the dead congregate in the miyurs of their 

 respective clans during their disembodied state, and from 

 there they emerge and are born again in human shape 

 when a favourable opportunity presents itself. See my 

 remarks on the transmigration or reincarnation of souls 

 in later pages of this work, under the head of " Miscel- 

 laneous Superstitions." 



When the men go out hunting and catch kangaroos, 

 snakes, opossums, emus and any other game, every animal 

 is cooked with the head pointing to the miyur of its clan. 

 And if dead animals are temporarily laid upon the ground 

 while the hunters are resting themselves on the way 



